Process of extracting sulphur from its ores



April 28, 1925.

E. E. HEDGES A PROCESS OF EXTRACTING SULPHUR FROM ITS DRES Filed Nov. 29, 1922 .i L 4 ff e Z i //////'V///// ff ff f UNITE-Djsr-ATES PATE'Nr OFFICE..

E. HEDGES,OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T0 THE-HEDG-ES NEW EDUCTION PIROCESLS CORPORATION, F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY.

PROCESS 0F EXTRACTING- SUIPHUR FROM ITS CRES.

Application lednovember sanza. seiiai No. 604,042.

To all/07mm it may concer/n.'

Beit known that I, EDWARD E. HEDGES, a-

. citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain .new and useful Improvements in Processes of EX- ltractingSulphur from Its Ores; and I do hereby declare the following rto be affull,

v clear, and exact description of the invention,

such-as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains (to make and use the m r same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the lettersand figures of reference lnarked thereon, which forni a part of this specification. v

This invention relates to the extraction of sulphur from its ores and has for an object to confine the sulphur ore in a retort ,closed against the introduction of air, which said retort is heatedl to a sufficient temperatureto liberate the sulphur in' vapor form, pass-lng the vapor to a condenser to condense the. sulphur and discharging the spent resid'v L divided condition into a rotating retort A further object of the invention is to introduce sulphur ore preferably in finely 'l which is maintained at a suflicient temperature to drive off the sulphur in vapor formwhich is conducted toacondenser and there condensed, and provldin means for discharging the spent ores from the retort without .the introduction `of air either at the lcharging, or discharging.

With thesel and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel steps in the process, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

As an apparatus for carryin out the presv introducing the superheated steam, 'mainclosed retort which isheated'td a suiiicient'- I taining the retort vin yheated -condition and discharging the spent residuum...

A Like characters of reference indicate corresponding palrts throughout the several views.

The present process is carried out in a temperature to drive off the volatilizable constituents. In thedrawing such ai retort is shown as a cylinder 10 having ribs .11 serving to support the retort upon rollers 12, whereby the said retort may be conveniently rotated in any approved manner and from any approved source, as conventionally indicate'd by a pinion 13 vengaging a beveled gear 14 rigidly secured to the retort.

- Preferablyo the retort will be provided. with ribs 15 in" its interior by the use of which when the retort is rotated the contained material will be cascaded. The showing of the ret `ortin the drawing as setting substantially upon a horizontal argis is no limitation and the retort may be inclined as `may be found necessary to advance the material therethrough, or other means ordinarily known in the art may be employed for. the purpose. At the inlet end the retort is provided with a central opening 1G into which `is` introduced a cylindrical feed conduit 17 having some means therein for advancing-the material therethrough fronrthe hopper 18, such means being shown corventionally as the Worm 19 driven by the sprocket chain 20. Preferably this conduit `17 will be sur-rounded and insulated by some refractory material, indicated convention-ab ly at 20. Y-

This feed conduit 17 extends through the condenser 21. The con-denser 21 may assuine any form which kconvenience maymake` vdesirable or experience may dictate. It 1s here shown as'a chamber inclined somewhat to the axis of the retort having a flue 2,2 so thatthe non-condensable gases passingl from the retort through the opening 16 into the condenser may escape through this line. Means for-discharging the material vfrom the condenserfwill naturally be provided and is he-reyshown as a hinged cover 23' and meansvvfor cutting off the lower part of the condenser chamber for the purpose of discharging the condensates without interrupting the action. The retort is provided with means for automatically and continuously discharging the spent material forming 4meanwhile a seal aga-inst the escape ofgases, such discharge being in the forni of a volute :passage 25 having one end' opening at 26 into the interior ofthe retort and its opposite end opening at 27 into the discharge bell 28. n

Extended axially through this end of the retort is a steam, pipe` 29 preferably branched within the retort, as indicated at preferably introduced into the 'retort -inA In the processing of sulphur ore for the extraction of sulphur, the sulphur ore is iinely divided condition by beingmanually or mechanically introduced into the hopper 18 and by the worm inductedainto the retort. It is' wellgknown'that sulphur volatilizes approximately at 832o F. The maintenance of the retort at such a temperature would release the larger -portion of the sulphur, but it is found desirable to run the retort at a higher temperature to drive oli' all of the sulphur, for which reason it is found in practice desirable to maintain the temperature of' the retort at approximately 950 F. I

The length ofY time during which the sulphur ore shall be processed to extract the entire sulphur content will vary with the ore. Experience seems to indicate that the, percentage of sulphur content `determines h of time 4required andpractice will indicate the time required for eachy the len of vore processed. The

particular specimen K time will, however, approxlmate minutes dinally through 4such retort, passing outand such time may be tentatively indicated as the required time, it being understood, however, that this is not a fixed time and that the time will lvary as conditions make necessary. v

At the op osite end superheated steam is introduced t rough the pipes 29 and 30 at approximately the retort temperature and is driven by the force of the steam longituwardly through the opening 16, carrying therewith the sulphur vapors. The sulphur ore in the meantime' is being! cascaded throufrh this current of superheated steaml by being lifted by the flanges 15 in the retort, thus subjecting it not only to the temperature of theJ retort but to the action of therv superheated steam thereon.

It has been found that a fairly satisfactory extraction of the sulphur. may be accomplished without the emplo ment of the superheated steam by merely ;aintain ving theretort at the temperature indicated and continually agitating and cascading the sulphur, but the sulphur is not recovered in ,as pure condition as when subjected to ,superheated steam,r nor is' it liberated as quickly or readily or as completely. While the yinvention includes the extraction of sulphur in a retort closed Wholly against the introduction of air and subjected to a suicient temperature, it is not the preferred process, which preferred process is the use'of the superheated steam.

It is understood, of course, that the sulphur vapors introduced into the condenser 21 will be condensed vand discharged. It is Well known that sulphur condenses at approximately 239 F. and it is necessary, therefore, to maintain the condenser at such temperature as will successfully condense thesulphur. The condenser shown is not intended to be a limitation upon the present Vinvention but only to indicate a condenser chamber for the purpose.

.VVhat I claim is:

1. rlhe process of extracting sulphur from its ores consisting in charging the sulphurbearing material into one end of an elongated retort, cascading the material progressively to the opposite end to discharge, introducing a fluid heated to sulphur-Vaporizing temperature at lthe v end opposite the charging end and causing a continuous How of said fluid throughout the length of said retort and the cascading material to liberate and take up the sulphur vapors, taling oi the vapor laden fluid at the charging end land condensing the vapors.

2. The process of extracting sulphur from its ores consisting in charging the sulphur#I bearing material into one endfof an elon-A gated retort, cascading the material progressively to the opposite end to discharge, in'- troducing a fluid heated t0 sulphurvaporiz ing temperature at the end opposite the chargingend and causing a contlnuous flow of said fluidthroughout the length of saidretort and the cascading material to liberate and take up the' sulphur vaporstaking oif thevapor .laden iiu1d at Vthe charging end and condensing the vapors, the while maintaining the retort against access of air. 3. The process of extracting sulphur from its ores consisting in charging the sulphurbearing material into one end of an elongated retort, cascading the material progressively to the opposite end to discharge, introducing steam heated to sulphur-Vaporizing temperature at the end ropposite the charging end and causing a continuous flow of said steam throu hout the length of said retort and the casca ing material to liberate and take up the sulphur vapors, taking off the vapor laden steam at the charging end and condensing the vapors.

4. The process of extracting sulphur from its ores consisting in charging the sulphurbearing material into one end of an elongated retort, cascading the material progresing temperature at the end opposite the vcharging end and causing a continuous flow of sald steam throughout the length of said retort and the cascading material to liberate and take up the sulphur vapors, taking off the vapor laden steam at the charging end and condensing the vapors, the While maintaining` the retort against access of air.

5. The process of extracting sulphur from its ores consisting in transferring the ores progressively through an elongated retort from a charging end to the opposite end for discharging the spent residuum the While producing a continual redistribution of the mass, introducing steam at a temperature markedly above the vaporization pointer1 sulphur to come in contact with and act first upon the spent material and to travel in opposition to the progression of the sulf phur-carrying vmaterial and progressively give up its heat in liberating and taking up sulphur vapors, discharging the same atthe end opposite its introduction laden With, vaporized sulphur and condensing the vapors.

6. The process of extracting sulphur from its ores consisting in transferring the ores progressively through an elongated retort from a charging end to theA opposite end for discharging the spent residuum the While producing continual redistribution of the mass7 introducing steaml at a temperature markedly above the vaporization point of sulphur to come in contact with and act first upon the spent material and to travel in opposition to the progression of the sulphurcarrying material and progressively give up its heat in liberating and taking up sulphur vapors, `discharging the same at the end opposite `its introduction laden with vaporized sulphur and condensing the vapors', the While maintaining the retort against access of air.

7. The process of extracting sulphur from its ores consisting in continuously charging sulphurcarrying material into one end and continuously discharging the residuum from the opposite end of a retort While excluding airtherefrom,v the while producing continual redistribution of the mass, introducing steam into the discharge end heated to a temperature above the Vaporization point of sulphur, said steam traversing the retort to the charging end the While coming in contact With the constantly redistributed surface of said mass, liberating and taking up' sulphur vapors en route, discharging ,thesulphur-laden steam and condensing the vapors.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aliix my signature. 

